Double-spring frog.



PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908.

J. E. GRAHAM.

DOUBLE SPRING FROG.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17.1907.

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JOI-IN E. GRAHAM, OF SALEM, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN FLANGE FROGAND RAILWAY IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, OF GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA7 A CORPORATIONor FLORIDA.

DOUBLE-SPRING nace.

Patented an. 28,1908.

Application filed June 17. 1907- Serial No. 379440.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN E. GRAHAM,. a

citizen of the United States, residing "at Salem, Virginia, haveinvented a certain newl others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto-make and use the same, reference being had to the accom anyingdrawings, forming part of this speciiibation, in which- Figure 1 is aplan view of a double spring frog constructed in accordance withmyinvention; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on'the line 2-2 ofFig.1; and Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

This invention relates to railway track' lgructures, and particularly todouble spring ogs.

The main object of my invention is to provide a double spring froprovided with members arranged outside o the spring rails adjacent thepoint of the frog and having ortions which lie in a higher horizontalplOane than the treads of the spring rails for the purpose ofengaging-the outer edge of the tread rim of a wheel to guide the flangeof the Wheel safely past the point of the frog, thus over coming thenecessit of using guard rails.

Another object o my invention is to provide a railway track structurecomprising a froO point, a plurality of. spring rails normaly heldagainst the opposite Sides of the fro point and a member arrangedoutside of eac i spring rail and having a guiding portion which divergesfrom the spring rail or is disposed obliquely thereto so as to engagethe edge of the tread rim of the wheel to gradually shift it laterallyand thus positively force the opposite spring rail away from the frogpoint and guide the flange of the wheel past said frog point.

I have herein illustrated my invention in A having guard members orguiding members connection with a double spring frog .of wellknownconstruction but I do not Wish to be understood as vlimiting myinvention to this articulartype of double spring frog as my ldea couldbe embodied-in double spring frogsof various constructions.

Referring .to the drawings which illustrate one form of my invention, 1and 2 designate rails that are disposed at an acute angle to each otherand rigidly connected together to form the point 3 of the frog, saidrails'being secured to a base plate 4 which is fastened to the ties 5.The movable rails 6 and 7 or spring rails which are hinged or pivotallyconnected to the main rails or running rails, are normally forcedtoward'the point 3 of the frog by'means of springs 8 located adjacentthe mouth of the'frog, and springs 9 located adjacent the heel of thefrog. The springs 8 surround a guide-rod 10 which extends through thewebs of the spring rails and is provided at its ends with followers 11against which the outer ends of said'springs bear, the inner ends ofsaid sprin s bearing against the outside faces of the We sl of theirrespective spring rails and thus forcing the spring rails toward eachother. l

The springs 9, which are'located adjacent the heel of the frog, aremounted in boxes or casings 12 having one end closed and being rigidlysecured to the base plate 4, and the inner ends of said springs bearagainst followers, 13 secured to the spring rails, the springs 8 and 9operating to hold the s ring rails normally against the o posite si esof the frog point so that a VWhee 1n passing over the frog on eithertrack will have practically a continuous tread or bearing surface totravel on. The free ends of the spring rails are fastened to the baseplate 4 by means of guiding links 14.

invention is to provide a double spring frog attached to or combinedWiththe frog pro er for the purpose of engaging the outside edge of therim of a wheel so as to guide the flange of the wheel p'ast the point ofthe frov, said guiding means being arranged in a Tilgher hoiiizontalplane than the tread of the spring ral As shown in Fig. 1, two members Aare arranged outside of the spring rails adjacent rails7 have alwaysbeen ar-` the point'of the frog, said members having guiding portions 15which lie in ahigher horizontal plane than the treads of the springrails 6 and 7 so that the outside edge of the tread rim of a wheel whichenters the frog will engage the portion 15 and thus be guided safelypast the point 3 of the frog. Preferably, the members A are so dis osedrelatively to the spring rails that t e guiding ortions 1,5 of' saidmembers will diverge rom the s ring rails or extend obliqueljy to saidrai S. The advantage of having these guiding portions 15disposedobliquely to the treads of the s ring rails is that the wheel onentering the rog will gradually en-' gage the guiding portion of themember A arranged outside of the s ring rail on which said wheel istraveling, t us preventing the Wheel and guiding portion from receivinga sudden shock, said obliquely disposed guiding portion also operatingto gradually shift the Wheelv laterally so that its flange-will beguided safely past the point of the'frog.

he guard members A arev riveted or otherwise secured to the base plate4, and braces 16l are provided for I imparting additional strength tothe members A and also to aid in anchoring them to the base plate.

I have herein shown the members A as consisting of T-trails which areheavier or of lgreater depth than the spring rails 6 and 7 so that theheads-or guiding ortions 15 of the members A will lie in a igherhorizontal plane than the treads of the spring rails. r do not wish itto be understood, however, that I consider my invention limited to guardmembers of this particular construc tion as said members could be cast,or, if desired, light-weight l"-rails mounted on fillers or blocks couldbe used, the essential feature of the guard members being a guidingportion arranged in a higher horizontal plane than the treads of thespring rails and preferably disposed obli uely to said treads so as toprevent the W ieels and the guiding member rom receivin a sudden shockor jar and also to adually s ift the wheel laterally.

ith a double sprinor frog of the construction shown in Fig. 1, when awheel enters the frog on the spring rail 6 the outside edge of the treadrim of said wheel will come into contact with the guiding portion 15 ofthe member A arranged adjacent said spring rail, and said guidinfJrportion will gradually shift the wheel laterally so that its iiange will)ass the point of the frog, as shown in broken ines in Fig. 2, thespring rail 7 being moved laterally bythe flange of the wheel to carrysaid rail away from the frog point. A wheel entering the frog on thespring rail 7 will be shifted laterally by the guiding ortion 15 of themember A which is arrange( outside of said spring rail, and as saidwheel moves lati erally its iiange will move the s ring rail 6 away fromthe frog point so that 'alle iange of the Wheel can pass between thefrog point and the spring rail 6.

Having thus described my invention,- what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: f

1. A railway track structure coiiiprisingfa frog point, a pair of springrails, and members arranged outside of the spring rails and havingguiding portions located in a higher horizontal plane than the treads ofthe spring rails to engage the outer edge of thetread rim of the Wheelto guide the flange of the wheel past the point of the frog;substantially as described.

2. A railway track structure comprising a frog point, a pair of springrails, means for forcing said spring rails toward the frog point, andmembers arranged outside of the spring rails and adjacentthe frog pointand having guiding portions which lie in a higher horizontal plane thanthe treads of the spring rails; substantially as described.

3. A railway track structure comprising a frog point, a Vair of movablerails, yielding means for ho ding said movable rails normally againstthe opposite sides of the frog point, and members arranged outside ofthe spring rails and having guiding portions which diverge from thespring rails for engaging the edge of the tread rini of the wheel toshift it laterally past the point of the frog; substantially asdescribed.

4. A railway track structure comprising a rigid frog point, a pairofspring rails enibracing said frog point, and rigid members arrangedoutside of the spring rails and having guiding ortions vwhich lie in -ahigher horizontal p ane than the treads of the spring rails to engagethe outer edge ofthe wheel rim to guide it past the point of the frog;substantially as described.

5. A railway track structure comprising a rigid frog point7 a pair ofspring rails normally engaging the opposite sides of said frog point,and rigid members arranged outside of the spring rails and havingguiding portions which lie in a higher horizontal plane than the treadfaces of the spring rails and are disposed obliquely to said treads;

members arranged outside of the spring rails l adjacent to the frogpoint and consisting of T-rails having heads which lie in a higherhorizontal planefthan the treads of the spring rails substantially asdescribed.

7 A railway track structure comprising a frog point, a pair of springrails, and guard inem ers arranged outside of the spring rails adjacentthe frog point and consisting of T- rails having their heads lying in ahigher horizontal plane than the treads of the spring rails anddivergiiig from said treads; substantially as described.

8. A railway track structure com rising a basefplate, a frog pointconnected t ereto, a pair of movable spring rails. embracing, theopposite sides of said rog point, and members arranged.. outside of thespring rails ad jacent the frog point and permanently connected to saidvbase plate, said members having guiding portions which lie in a higher'horizontal plane'l than the treads of the spring rails and are disposedobli` uely to said treads; substantially as described.

9. A railway track structure comprising a base plate, a frog pointconnected-to said base (plate, a pair of movable spring rails, and guarmembers arranged outside' of the spring rails adjacent the frogpoint andconsisting of T-rails which have their heads projecting above the hadsof the spring rails and disposed obliquely to said spring rails, andmeans for bracing said guard rails'and permanently securing them to thebase plate; substantially as described.

10. A railway track structure vcomprising a frog point, a pair of springrails, spr1ngs' acting on said spring rails adjacent the mouth and thetoe of the frog to force said rails to'- ward the frog point, andmembers arranged outside of said spring rails adjacent the frog pointand having' portions which lie ina igher horizontal p the spring railsto engage the outer edge of the tread rim of the wheel tovguide its angepast the point of the frog; substantially as described.

ane thanthe treads of said guide-rod and interposed between thefollowers on said rod and the webs of the spring rails, boxes secured tothe base plate adjacent the heel of the frog, springs mounted in saidboxes and acting upon the spring rails to force them toward the point ofthe frog, and ymembers arranged outside of the. spring rails andconnected to the base plate and rovided with guiding portions which aredisposed obliquely to the spring rails; substantially as described.

1'2. A railway track structure comprising a frog point, a pair ofspringrails, and members arranged outside of the spring rails and adjacent thefrog point for .engaging the outer edge of the tread rim of aA wheel togradually shiftthe wheel laterally and thus guide it past the oint ofthe frog; substantially as describe In testimony whereof I hereuntoaffix my signature in the lpresence of two witnesses, this twelfth dayof June, 1907.

JOHN E. GRAHAM.

Vl'itnesses:v A

' WELLS L. CHURCH,

GEORGE BAKEWELL.

